May
Allah be the guardian of the couple! After Lot, Usman is the first man who, with
his wife, has given up the comfort of his home for the cause of Allah."
Thus
said the Holy Prophet when his son-in-law, Usman, left Mecca for Abyssinia, to
excape persecution at the hands of the Meccans.
Usman
was born some six years after the birth of the Holy Prophet. His father's name
was Affan. Arwa was the name of his mother. His grandaughter, Baiza, was a
daughter of Abdul Muttalib and therefore an aunt of the Holy Prophet. Usman
belonged to the Omayya branch of the Quraish. Banu Omayya were thought to be the
equals of Banu Hashim. The national flag of the Quraish was in their keeping.
When
Usman grew up, he became a cloth merchant. His business grew rapidly and he came
to be looked upon as a top business man of the city. He often visited Syria in
connection with his business. Flourishing business brought him both wealth and
position.
However,
Usman was an extremely kindhearted man. He looked upon wealth as a means of
helping others. If money could remove suffering, Usman was always ready to help.
It
was Abu Bakr who won Usman for Islam. He and Usman were great friends. The Holy
Prophet belonged to Banu Hashim and Usman belonged to Banu Omayya. There was old
rivalry between the two tribes. This did not keep back Usman from accepting the
truth. As soon as he heard the message of Islam, he accepted it. He was one of
the first Muslims. The Holy Prophet gave to him his daughter, Ruaqayya in
marriage.
By
becoming a Muslim, Usman drew upon himself the anger of his relatives. His
uncle, Hakam, tied his hand and foot. He then shut him up in a dark room. Usman
gladly underwent all kinds of torture, but refused to give up Islam.
The
Quraish who once loved Usman now became his enemies. His own relatives would
have nothing to do with him. This made Usman feel miserable. He went to the Holy
Prophet and asked permission to go to Abyssinia. The permission was given. Usman
was the first Muslim to leave for Abyssinia. He and his wife crossed the Red Sea
and sought refuge in Abyssinia. They were the first to give up their home and
all they had for the cause of Allah.
When
migration from Mecca began, Usman and his wife Ruqayya also went to Medina and
settled there.
Usman
was among those who were very close to the Holy Prophet. He fought by the side
of the Prophet in all battles except Badr. He could not go to Badr because his
wife, Ruqayya, was very ill. The Prophet himself told Usman to stay back at
Medina and attend to his ailing wife. Ruaqayya died of this illness.
Usman
took the death of Ruqayya very much to heart. He was all the more sad because he
no longer enjoyed the honor of being the son-in-law of the Prophet. The Holy
Prophet saw this. So he married to Usman his second daughter, Umm Kulthum. This
was a rare honor. It earned for Usman the title of "Zun-Noorain," or
"the possesor of two lights."
In
the sixth year of Hijra was signed the treaty of Hudaibiya. Usman played an
important part in the peace talks. It was he who was sent by the Holy Prophet to
contact the Quraish. The Quraish said they had no objection if Usman alone
visited the Kaaba, but they were unwilling to let the Messenger of Allah enter
Mecca. To this Usman replied: "It is unthinkable that I take preference
over the Prophet. If he can't visit the House of Allah, I too, will not visit
it." Usman's firm stand at last forced the Quraish to yield ground.
In
the meantime, a rumor got afoot. It was given out that Usman had been killed by
the Quraish. The report shocked the Prophet. He determined to avenge the death
of Usman. He stood under a tree and took a pledge from his followers. He struck
his hand on each man's hand and the man said, "I will fight unto death for
the sake of Usman."
Such
was the regard in which Usman was held by the Prophet! However, the rumor proved
to be untrue. Usman came back safe and sound.
When
the Muslim refugees first came to Medina, they had great difficulty in getting
drinking water. There was just one well but it was owned by a Jew. The Jew would
not allow the refuges to get water from it. So the holy Prophet said, "who
is there that will buy this well for the Muslims? Allah will reward him a
fountain in Paradise." Usman at once responded. He brought the well for
twenty thousand dirhams and gave it away for the free use of Muslims.
When
the Muslims grew in numbers, the Prophet's Mosque became too small for them. The
holy Prophet said, "Who will spend money for the extension of the
mosque?" Usman again came forward. He bought the adjoining piece of land
for the extension.
In
the ninth year of Hijra, reports reached the Holy Prophet that the Emperor of
Byzantium was preparing a march on Medina. These reports disturbed the Muslims.
The Holy Prophet began to counter preparations. He appealed to people to give
whatever they could. Usman gave one thousand camels, fifty horses and one
thousand pieces of gold. The holy Prophet looked at the heap of gold and
declared, "Whatever Usman does, from this day on, will do him no
harm."
Usman
was one of the scribes of the Prophet. He was one of the men who wrote portions
of the Qur'an as they were revealed. He was also one of the ten Companions whom
the holy Prophet gave the good news of the kingdom of Heaven.
Closeness
to the Prophet won Usman a high place among the Companions. He was one of the
advisors of Abu Bakr and Omar during their Caliphate.
Omar
had nominated a six-man council to choose a Caliph from among its members. These
members were: Ali, Usman, Abdur Rehman bin Auf, Saad bin Abi Waqaas, Zubair bin
Awwam and Talha bin Obaidullah. The electors were to meet and finish their task
within three days of Omar's death. Such was the will of the late Calpih.
The
electors met. Talha had been out of Medina for some days, so he could not attend
the meeting.
The
council of electors had a long sitting. It could not come to an agreed decision.
There was an impasse. So Abdur Rehman bin Auf said, "If any man is willing
to withdraw his name, he will have the right to nominate the Caliph. Who will
withdraw?" All kept silent. Then Abdur Rehman said, "I withdraw my
name."
All
except Ali said they were ready to accept Abdur Rehman's decision. Abdur Rehman
asked Ali what he had to say. He replied, "Promise to be just. Promise not
to be partial on account of kinship. Promise to be led by the welfare of the
people alone. If you promise these things, I agree to abide by your
decision."
Abdur
Rehman promised all these things. The election of the Caliph now rested with
Abdur Rehman bin Auf.
Abdur
Rehman was fully alive to the heavy responsibility he had placed upon himself.
The news of Omar's death had drawn to Medina the leaders of public opinion from
all over the empire. Abdur Rehman went to each one of them and held long talks.
The Banu Hashim were for Ali. All others favored Usman. Other candidates were
out of the picture.
Abdur
Rehman now talked to the two likely candidates.
"Who
do you think is the fittest person after you?" he asked Ali.
"Usman,"
was the reply.
He
put Usman the same question and he named Ali.
At
last the third night came. In the morning Abdur Rehman was to announce his
decision. He sat up whole night, holding long talks with the other four members
of the council. He made a last effort to get a unanimous decision. But he failed
in this effort. The differences between Banu Hashim and Banu Omiyyah could not
be patched up. At last the call to the morning prayer brought these talks to an
end.
When
the prayer was over, people in the mosque were all ears to hear what Abdur
Rehman had to say.
Abdur
Rehman stood up. For some minutes he prayed to Allah to guide his thoughts. Then
he said, "O people," I have given my best thought to the matter. I
have talked to different people and got their opinion. I hope you will not
differ with my decision."
Then
Abdur Rehman called Usman and said, "Promise that you will act according to
the commandments of the Qur'an and the example set by the Holy Prophet and his
two Caliphs."
"I
promise to do that to the best of my knowledge and ability," declared Usman.
Thereupon
Abdur Rehman bin Auf pledged loyalty to Usman. His example was followed by all
present. Ali also pledged loyalt to the new Caliph. Usman became the third
Caliph of Islam.
When
the pledge was over, Usman rose to address the gathering. All were eager to hear
what the new Caliph had to say. But the weight of the new responsibility made
Usman's body shake. All he could say was, "O people, it is not easy to
manage a new horse. There will be several occasions to speak to you. If I live,
I will address you some other day. But you know, I am not very good at
speech-making."
The
first case that came up before Usman was the case of Obaidullah the second son
of Omar. Obaidullah had slain to Persians, Hurmuzan and Jafina. That was because
he believed them to be co-plotters with Abu Lolo. Abu Lolo was the murderer of
his father.
The
evening before Omar was mortally wounded, Abdur Rehman son of Abu Bakr had seen
Abu Lolo standing with Hurmuzan and Jafina. The three were whispering to one
another. As Abdur Rehman passed by, the three got startled. A double edge dagger
had falled on the ground. After his father's death, Obaidullah examined the
dagger of the asassin. It answered exactly to the description given by Abdur
Rehman. Obaidullah felt sure that Abu Lolo alone was not responsible for killing
his father. He flew into a rage and killed the other two partners in the plot.
The
case came up before Usman. He put the matter before the leading Companions. Ali
said that the evidence of one man was not enough to prove Huramuzan and Jafina
guilty. The other Companions differed with this view. Usman found a way out of
the difficulty. He himself laid the bloodmoney for the two Persians. As they had
no relatives, the Caliph had the legal right to act in their behalf. The
decision of Usman was liked by all.
The
First Directive
The
new Caliph issued a directive to all civil and military officers. It said that
they should be just in their dealings, honest in money matters and tolerant
towards non-Muslims. Further, the officers were told to keep their word, even
with the enemy. They were reminded that they were no more than the servants and
guardians of the people not their masters and rulers.
Saad
bin Waqqas was the Governor of Kufa. He took a loan from the public treasury and
foiled to return it in time. The Treasury Officer, Abdullah bin Masud, reported
the matter to the Caliph. Usman dismissed Saad bin Waqqas. This was in the year
26 A.H.
Azarbaijan
and Armenia were conquered during Omar's time. But these provinces were
afterwards lost. Both provinces were under the Governor of Kufa. When Saad bin
Waqqas was removed from governorship, Azarbaijan rebelled. Usman ordered
military action against it and the province was once again under the Muslim
flag.
Usman
deputed Salmab bin Rabia and Habib bin Muslima to reconqure Armeina. In this
campaign Habib's wife also went with him. On day Habib came to know that the
commander of the Armenian army was preparing to strike. Habib did not have
enough troops, so he decided to carry out a night raid, before the enemy could
strike.
Habib's
wife saw him put on armour one evening. She asked him what made him buckle on
armor at a such late hour. "My goal tonight is the ten of the Armenian
commander of the Garden of Paradise," replied the husband. A suddent
thought struck the lady. "When should not I share the honor with my
husband?" she said to herself. As soon as her husband was gone, she dressed
like a soldier and rushed off to the enemy camp.
At
the dead of the night Habib carried out his raid. The enemy was taken by
complete surprise. Killing the Armenian guard, Habib reached the commander's
tent. He was amazed to find his wife already waiting for him at the tent door.
She was dressed like a soldier and was fully armed. Together the couple fell on
the enemy commander and killed him.
Muawia
was the Governor of Syria under Usman. Anatolia was still under Byzantium.
Skirmishes with the Byzantine troops were common. In the year 26 A.H.,
Muawia led an army into Anatolia and took the city of Amuria. He wanted to
advance, but troop movement by land seemed difficult. So he had to stop short.
Muawia
now turned his attention to the Mediterranean. He saw the importance of the
islands in this sea and made plans to occupy them.
Muawia
had a strong liking for the sea. He foresaw the Islam could not be strong
without a powerful navy. During Omar's caliphate he put this plan before the
Calpih, but Omar was opposed to sea fighting. He did not think it was wise to
risk the lives of Muslims in sea-battles. So he did not approve of Muawia's
plan. When Usman became Caliph, Muawia again took up the question of the navy
with the Caliph. Usman agreed to Muawia's plan, on condition that no one was to
be forced against his will to take part in the naval campaign.
In 28 A.H., Muawia prepared a fleet of ships. The Governor of Egypt joined him with his own fleet. The two fleets jointly invaded Cypress. The people of the island fought bravely but had to give in at last. They made peace with the Muslims. The victors undertook to defend the island. In return they got the right to use the island as a military base.
Occupation
of North Africa
Amr
bin As was the first Muslim Governor of Egypt. For some time he continued to be
the Governor under Usman. He was replaced by Abdullah bin Sarah, in 25 A.H.
Soon there was a rising in Alexandria. Byzantium was at the back of this rising.
Usman again sent Amr bin As to Egypt, who put down the rising. After this,
Abdulah bin Sarah again took over as Governor of Egypt.
In
26 A.H.,
the Governor of Egypt got order from the Caliph to advance into North Africa. In
Omar's time, Amr bin As had occupied Tripoli. Abdullah bin Sarah was now to
march into Tunisia. The Caliph also sent an army from Medina to help his
Egyptian governor. This army men included men like Ibn Abbas, Ibn Omar, Ibn
Jaafar, Ibn Zubair, Hasan and Hussain. The Caliph wanted to make sure that the
North Africa campaign succeeded well. So he went some of the best men to Medina
to help Ibn Sarah.
The
rising in Alexandria had under lined the need of occupying North Africa.
Byzantine bases in North Africa were an ever-present threat to Safety of Egypt.
The Caliph decided to remove this threat.
Abdullah
bin Sarah spread his armies in Tripoli. From these military bases he was to
strike at the Byzantine forces.
Near
the city of Yaquba, Abdullah found his way blocked by a hug Byzantine army. It
numbered more than one hundred and twenty thousand. The Muslim army was far
smaller.
The
battle began. It went on for some days without a clear gain to either side. The
Berbers formed the bulk of the Byzantine army. They were fearless fighters. For
several days the outcome of the battle seemd to hang in the balance. Seeing
this, the Byzantine commander thought of a clever plan. He announced a fat
reward for the man who would strike off Abdullah's head. The reward consisted of
a hundred thousand pieces of gold and the hand of his beautiful daughter. By
killing the Muslim commander, the clever Byzantine general hoped to dampen the
spirit of the Muslim troops and win the battle.
This
announcement put Abdullah bin Sarah on his guard. He stayed most of the time in
his tent. Abdullah bin Zubair noticed this. So he made a counter announcement in
the Muslim army. Anyone who would cut off the Byzantine commander's head was to
get a hundred thousand pieces of gold and the hand of the beautiful Byzantine
princess. Shortly after the announcement the Byzantine commander was slain. His
army fled and the Muslims won a complete victory.
Seach
now began for the man who had slain the Byzantine commander. However no man came
out to claim the reward. At last the beautiful daughter of the Byzantine
commander herself identified the man who had slain her father. The hero was none
other than Abdullah bin Zubair. The princes was married to him.
The
victory cleared the way for the Muslims to advance in North Africa. Muslim
troops now spread out in Tunisia and Morocco and occupied important points.
The
North African Campaign went on for full fourteen months. During this short
period, Muslim armies were able to overrun the whole of North Africa and make it
a part of the Arab world.
In
the year 31 A.H.,
the Arabs fought their first naval battle. Constantine was now the emperor of
Byzantium. He made a daring bid to take back Alexandria. A fleet of 500 ships
sailed off to Egypt.
The
Muslims got ready to beat back the attack. Muawia's fleet set sail from Syria.
Abdullah bin Sarah, the Governor of Egypt, also advanced with the fleet. The two
fleets met in mid-sea. Together they sailed on until the enemy fleet was
sighted.
A
terrible naval battle took place. It was the first experience of sea-fighting
for the Arabs. But they found no difficulty in proving their superiority. The
sea around was soon cultured with the dead bodies of the Byzantine troops. So
much blood flowed that the sea-water became red all around. The Byzantine fleet
was crippled. Enemy ships that remained took refuge in the island of Sicily. The
Muslim fleet came back victorious.
This
fateful sea battle laid the foundation of Muslim sea power. It was to give the
Arabs the unchallenged mastery of the seas for long centuries to come. It was
not until the beginning of the sixteenth century that the Arabs lost their hold
on the seas. And with it the decline of the Muslim world began.
In
the years 26 A.H.,
there was a rising in Persia. The Muslim governor of Basra marched against the
rebels. They were defeated and punished. Once again peace and order returned to
Persia.
In
30 A.H.,
the Governor of Kufa lead a huge army to Tabristan. Tabristan was conquered. In
the following year there was a rising in Khurusan. It was soon put down.
In
31 A.H.,
Yezdgird, the former king of Iran, was also killed. He had lost his empire but
had not lost hope. He wandered from place to place and created unrest in the
frontier districts. It was he who had been the cause of most of the risings in
Iran.
His
last exploit was a raid on Sistan. With the help of some chiefs of Turkistan, he
fell upon Sistan. He was utterly defeated and fled for life. Wandering alone, he
sought refuge in a water-mill. The miller did not know him but was tempted by
his jewels and rich clothes. So he killed the wretched king and threw his body
in the river. Thus ended the wandering career of the last emperor of Iran. With
the death of Yezdgird also ended the constant trouble in Iran.
Usman's
caliphate was marred by a terrible civil war. It led to the murder of the Caliph
himself. Usman was a very gentle and soft-hearted man. He often overlooked the
faults of others. This made the provincial governors and other officers
overbold. Omar's stern hand had stopped his officers from adopting the
undemocratic customs and practices of the courts of Iran and Byzantium. Usman's
hand proved too weak to do the job. The result was unrest in the provincial
capitals. It grew until it engulfed the whole of Islam.
Moreover,
Usman was an old man when he took over. Clever people took advantage of his
weakening grip on state affairs.
Abdullah
bin Saba, a clever Jew or Yemen, played a leading role in this drama. During
Usman's calpihate, he came to Medina, and made a show of becoming a devout
Muslim, but he had his own plans. He stayed for some months in Medina and
studied things. He saw that Banu Hashim regarded the Caliphate their natural
right. They thought that Ali, and not Usman, should have been the Caliph.
Abdullah bin Saba determined to make capital out of this.
With
great cunning, he set about his task. He made "love of the Holy Prophet and
his relatives" his starting-point. Out of this, he spun a clever story.
Every Prophet, he said, left behind a "Wasi." The Wasi must be a near
relative of the Prophet. Aaron was the Wasi of Moses. In the same way, the Holy
Prophet must also have a Wasi, to carry on his mission. Muhammad (peace be upon
him) was the last of the Prophets. So, his Wasi, Ali, was the last of the Wasis.
Being the Wasi, Ali was the only rightful man to be the Caliph. Usman, therefore
had to be removed from the caliphate.
Abdullah
bin Saba began to preach his views secretly. He visited important cities in the
Muslim empire. In each city, he set up a secret society. He picked up men who
lent an easy ear to what he said. These were generally the men who had some real
or imaginary complaint against the officers. It was easy to tell these men that
the Caliph was the real cause of all trouble.
When
the network of secret societies was complete, Abdullah bin Saba set up his
headquarters in Egypt. The secret societies rapidly increased their strength.
For this they used the following method:
1.
Their
members made a great show of piety. They posed as the real well wishers of the
people.
2.
They
invented complaints against Usman and his officers. Some of the complaints were
no doubt real. Under cover of these, they also said things that did not exist.
3.
A
regular campaign was started against all officers. They were described as
irreligions and inefficient.
4.
Forged
letters were sent from city to city. These letters talked of injustice and
unrest in the city of origin. The Sabaites read out the letters to as many
people as possible. Letters were also forged to show that Ali, Talha, Zubair and
other noted Companions had full sympathy with the movement. This led people to
think that there was widespread unrest and that the leading Companions wanted to
remove the Caliph.
Abu
Musa Fired
Abdullah
bin Saba's plan worked well. Basra was the capital of one of the provinces. Abu
Musa Ashari was its governor. One day Abu Musa gave an address. In it he told
the people how, in the early years of Islam, Muslims walked on foot all the way
to the field of battle. He went on to explain what great reward such people had
found from Allah.
After
some days, Abu Musa had to goto a battle-front. He rode on a horse. This
produced an uproar against him.
"Look
at the Governor!" went round the story, "he says one thing and does
another. Why does he go to the battlefield riding on a horse? Why does he not
earn a greater reward from Allah by walking on foot?"
The
agents of Ibn Saba played with the feelings of people. So much so, that the
people get really angry with Abu Musa. A deputation marched to Medina. The
Caliph foundh his hands forced to dismiss Abu Musa.
Abdullah
bin Amir became the new governor of Basra. The Sabaites started a campaign
against him too.
"He
is a raw yougn man," they said, "moreover, he is a relative of the
Caliph. Usman is filling all key-posts with his kinsmen."
Kufa
was the capital of another province. Saad bin Waqqas was its governor. He was
the conquerer of Iran. He took a loan out of public funds and could not return
it in time. The complaint reached the Caliph and Usman dismissed him.
Saad
was replaced by Wali bin Uqba. Walid was a strong man. He took quick action
against mischief-mongers. Some of them one night broke into the house of a man.
They took away all his money and killed him also. They were all arrested and put
to death.
The
death of this gang made Sabaites angry. A strong man like Walid bin Uqba was a
real danger to them. So they brought a false complaint against him. They said
that he was given to drinking. A deputation set off to Medina. Two men bore
witness before the Caliph and his advisory council that they had seen their
Governor drinking wine. Ali gave the ruling that the man was guilty. So Usman
dismissed the Governor.
Walid
was replaced by Saad bin As. The new governor received people at his house each
night. He sat among them and discussed things with them. Everyone was free to
drop in. The Sabaites came to these meetings in large numbers. Gradually, the
started creating trouble. One night they came down upon a man and beat him in
the presence of the Governor.
The
Governor felt humbled. But he also felt helpless. The mischief-mongers were
all-powerful. He could not lay hands on them. Things became so unbearable that
the people wrote to the Caliph. They begged him to rid the city of the
hooligans.
Usman
wrote to the governor to send this gang to Muawia, in Syria. He hoped that
Muawia would set them right. The Caliph's order was carried out. Muawia treated
these people well. He tried to win them over with kindness. They began to be
rude to Muawia. So Muawia wrote to the Caliph, telling him that he could do
nothing to reform such bad men.
Usman
next sent them to Abdur Rehman bin Khalid, the governor of Hims. Abdur Rehman
was a stern man. He was really hard on these fellows. This brought them to
senses. They repented for what they had done and promised to behave well in the
future. Abdur Rehman informed the Caliph about it. Usman wrote back to him,
telling him to send the men back to Kufa, if they really meant what they said.
But once in Kufa they were as active in mischief-making as ever.
Abdullah
bin Saba chose Egypt to be the center of his party. He did this for a number of
reasons. In the first place, Egypt lay in the middle of the eastern and western
wings of the empire. Secondly, Amr bin As, the former governor of Egypt, had
been a popular governor. His successor, Abdullah bin Sarah, could not be equally
popular. Amr bin As had been removed by Usman. This gave Saba ready ground to
whip up discontent among the people. Thirdly, the North African campaign kept
the new governor away from Egypt for more than a year. This gave Saba a free
hand to work out his plans.
In
Egypt Saba also had two powerful allies in Muhammad bin Hudhifa and Muhammad bin
Abu Bakr. Both of them were against Usman. The former had been left an orphan
and was brought up by Usman. When he grew up, he asked the Caliph to make him
the Governor of some province. Usman did not see him fit for so high an office
and turned down the request. This made Muhammad bin Hudhifa angry with the
Caliph. He came over to Egypt and became active against Usman.
Muhammad
bin Abu Bakr was also angry with the Caliph on personal grounds. He had been
brought up by Ali. His mother, the widow of Abu Bakr, had married Ali, after the
first Caliph's death. Muhammad bin Abu Bakr owed a debt to a certain creditor.
He failed to pay back the money in time. The creditor complained to the Caliph.
Usman was very impartial in his ruling. This offended Muhammad bin Abu Bakr. So
he also came to Egypt and joined hands with the enemies of the Caliph.
Abdullah
bin Saba took full advantage of these factors. The central command of the
Sabaites in Egypt sent forth a flood of propoganda against Usman. Letters poured
into each city, telling stories of the terrible plight of people in other
places. Local Sabaite agents gave full publicity to these letters. Before long
the people of each city came to think that theirs was the happinest lot. They
came to believe that life was unbearable in other parts of the Mulsim empire.
And they held the Caliph responsible for this all.
The
means of communication being difficult in those days, people had no way of
knowing the real truth about life in provinces other than their own. The
Sabaites took full advantage of this situation.
Since
Omar's day, Muawia had been the governor of Syria. Muawia was a very wise and
tactful ruler. He knew how to keep the situation in hand. So the Sabaite agents
had no success in Syria.
Abu
Dhar Ghiffari, a well-known Companion of the Holy Prophet, lived in Syria. He
always kept aloof from the affairs of the world and its riches. He held that
public income should be spent on the poor the moment it was received. He was
against hoarding any money in the public treasury. "Public money is
people's money," he said, "and should be spent on people the moment it
comes in." Muawia was of a different view. He thought that public income
could be kept in the treasury to meet unforseen public needs of the future. He
called public money "Allah's money." He said that the ruler, as the
agent of Allah, had a right to spend public money as he thought fit. Abu Dhar
thought otherwise.
In
Syria Saba tried to take advantage of the difference of opinion between the
Governor and Abu Dhar, the noted Companion. He went to Abu Dhar and said,
"It is strange that Muawia calls public money, 'the money of Allah.' He
means there by that people should have no say about the way public money is
spent."
Abu
Dhar easily fell into the Sabaite trap. He went straight to Muawia and said,
"How is it that you call public money the 'money of Allah'?"
"Oh
Abu Dhar?" replied Muawia mildly, "we are all the servants of Allah.
So all our money is Allah's money."
The
reply did not satisfy Abu Dhar.
"All
right," siad Muawia, "in future I will call this money public
money."
Now
Abu Dhar raised another point. He preached that the rich had no right to amass
wealth. Whatever was over and above their immediate needs, he said, should be
given away to the poor. In support of this, he cited the following words of the
Qur'an:
"They
who hoard up gold and silver and spend it not in the way of Allah, tell them of
a painful doom on the day when it will all be heated in the fire of hell. Then
their foreheads, their flanks and their backs will be branded therwith. Here is
what you hoarded for yourselves. Now taste of what you used to hoard."
Here
again Muawia differed with Abu Dhar. He held that after a man had paid the
poor-rate of two and a half percent, he was free to own health.
Abu Dhar's views made a great appeal to the
masses. The great majority of people were poor. They wanted to share the
comforts of the rich. Abu Dhar's movement began to gain ground rather rapidly.
Muawia
wrote about this to Usman. The Caliph wrote back that Abu Dhar be sent to
Medina, with all the honor due to him.
In
Medina, Abu Dhar started the same movement. Usman called him and said, "O
Abu Dhar, I will force people to pay whatever they owe to Allah and His Apostle.
In return, I will grant them the rights they have over me. But I can force no
one to give up the world."
"Well,
then send me out of Medina," said Abu Dhar, "The Prophet of Allah told
me to leave Medina when it had expanded up to Salah."
So
Usman sent Abu Dhar to a small village away from Medina. He gave him some camels
and also two servants to look after him.
Other
Factors
It
is true that Abdullah bin Saba and his men did much to stir up discontent
against Usman. But it is equally true that under Usman several things did go
wrong. Things were very smooth when Usman took over. In the years that followed,
disturbing factors slowly crept in.
Omar
did not allow his officers to own property outside their native city. One of his
Governors once asked permission to build ahouse in the provincial capital.
"No," replied Omar, "you have a
house of your own in Medina. You do not need another as long as this one is
there."
This
policy of Omar kept the leading families of Islam in the national capital. Usman
gave up this policy and allowed people to settle and own property wherever they
liked. The result was that the leading families of the Quraish spread out in
different cities. There they built up power. This naturally lead to a race for
supreme power. Each family tried to outshine all others.
Banu
Umayya and Banu Hashim were old rivals. The first two Caliphs, Abu Bakr and
Omar, belonged to Banu Umayya. He gave his kinsmen high offices in the State.
This offended Banu Hashim and their supporters. In later years, Usman came to
depend to much on one of his kinsment. Marwan, who was a very clever man and was
disliked by the people.
During
Usman's calpihate, the expansion of the Muslim empire almost came to an end. Man
who had been kept busy by military campaigns now began to take interest in
politics.
Kufa,
Basra, Egypt and Syria were important military bases. These bases were mostly in
the hands of men who had spent no time in the company of the Holy Prophet. The
ultra-democratic spirit of Islam was a thing unknown to them. As soon as Omar's
strong hand was gone, these officers went back to old ways of dealing with
people. They tried to be the rulers of people, rather than their servants. They
tried to have for themselves the same comforts and luxuries as the old rulers of
Iran and Byzantium enjoyed.
This
created a distance between the rulers and the ruled. There free spirit of Islam
got a set-back. Naturally people who knew what equality was felt bitter. And the
common man who had tasted of it in full measure during Omar's regime, put the
whole blame on the new Calpih.
Conference
in Medina
Discontent
and unrest went on growing in parts of the empire. At last its effects began to
be felt in Medina. All leading Companions pressed the Caliph to do something in
the matter. Usman agreed. He wrote to all his Governors to meet him when they
came for the Haj of 34 A.H.
The Calpih and the governors met in a conference.
"What
is the real cause of unrest?" asked Usman.
"It
is the doing of the mischief-mongers," they replied. "They throw mud
at the Caliph and his officers. They want to overthrow the government."
"How
do we put a stop to this?" demanded the Caliph.
Different
remedies were suggested. But all agreed on one thing. They said that the Calpih
should adopt a stern policy towards those who created trouble. To this Usman did
not agree. In a spirited speech, he said, addressing his Governors.
"I
have heard your opinions. I fear this is the evil foretold by the Prophet of
Allah. If so, I will do what I can, with all the kindness and forgiveness at my
command, to keep its gates shut. I will prove by my deeds that I was not slack
in doing good to the people. I will not allow any blame to rest on me when I
face Allah tomorrow. I feel sure that the evil time is sure to come. Yet blessed
will be Usman if he lays down his life but does not bring the curse
nearer."
The
conference ended. Usman allowed the Governors to leave. Muawia said, "O
Commander of the Faithful! I do not think Medina is a safe place for you to
live. You better go with me to Syria."
"Even
if my head is cut off," replied Usman, "I will not leave Medina. No
price can take away from the neighborhood of the Prophet."
"Then
allow me to send some troops from Syria," said Muawia, "to serve as
your guards."
"No,"
was the reply. "I do not want that people living in the neighborhood of the
Prophet should be put to any trouble on my account."
Then
the Caliph sent four men to tour the provincess and report on things. Three of
them came back with the report that conditions were normal. Ammar bin Yasir,
however, who was sent to Egypt, did not come back. The Governor of Egypt
informed the Caliph that Ammar had gone over to the Sabaites.
The
plan of the Caliph's enemies was to cause a general rising when the Governors
were away for the conference at Medina. But the plot could not be carried out
The hooligans of Kufa, however, did not allow their Governor to enter the city
when he came back from the conference. They wanted Abu Musa Ashari to be their
Governor. The Calpih granted their request and made Abu Musa the Governor of
Kufa.
The
hooligans now made another plot. Their ring-leaders, from each province, decided
to meet in Medina. They were to study things in the capital and decide upon the
future course of action.
Accordingly,
the ring-leaders from all provinces met outside Medina. The Calpih came to know
of their coming. He sent of them two men whom they trusted. The men came back
with an alarming plot. They said the ring-leaders were bent on mischief. Their
plan was to go back and tell the people that the Caliph had refused to listen to
their complaints. In the following year, they intended to march on Medina at the
head of large parties and to kill the Caliph. The Caliph heard the report calmly
but did nothing in the matter.
The
ring-leaders then entered Medina. The Caliph had been told about their future
plans. Some people suggested that they should all be killed. That would dry up
the source of mischief, they suggested. But the Caliph replied, "I cannot
kill any man without sufficient legal reasons. These people have some
misunderstandings. I will try to remove these. I will be kind and forgiving to
them and try to bring them to the right path. If kindness fails to work, I shall
give myself up to Allah's will.
The
Caliph then called together the leading men of Medina as well as the
ring-leaders who had come from the provinces. He addressed that gathering thus:
"It
is said I have reserved some pastures for public use. By Allah, I have not
reserved any pasture which was not so reserved before me. In these pastures
graze the animals that are public property. Moreover, the pastures are open to
everybody. Only those were disallowed their use who offered bribes to get more
than what was their due. As for my use of these pastures, I have no more than
two camels. These camels serve me at the time of Hajj. You all know that before
I became Caliph, no one in Arabia had more animals than I.
I
have sent authorized copies of the Qur'an in all parts of the empire. There are
people who object to this. You all know that the Qur'an is only one book sent
down by Allah. The Companions who wrote down this book, under the eyes of the
Holy Prophet, are still alive. It is they who compiled the copy which I have
sent everywhere.
It
is said I have appointed young men as officers. The fact is that it is not age
but ability and character that guides my choice. Here are men from the
provinces. They cannot deny the ability and honesty of my officers. Young age is
no disqualification. The Holy Prophet gave Usama the command of an army,
although he was younger than all the men I have appointed.
It
is said I gave to the Governor of Egypt the whole booty of North Africa as a
reward. The fact is that he was given only one-fifth of the fifth part due to
the State. There are examples of such rewards before my time. Anyhow, when I
came to know that people objected to it, I took back the money from the
Governor.
It
is said I love my kinsmen and bestow rewards on them. It is no sin to love one's
kinsmen. But this love has never made me unjust to other people. As for rewards,
I have never given a kinsmen any thing out of public funds except what was his
due. But I do make gifts to my kinsmen out of my own pocket. I spent on them
before I became Caliph. Now that I am old and do not hope to live long, I do not
wish to keep anything with me. I do not think it right to spend anything on my
kinsmen out of public funds. In fact, I do not get anything out of these funds
for my own expenses either. The revenue of each province is spent on the people
of that province. The public treasury at Medina receives nothing but the fifth
part of booty. This money is spent by the people themselves in times of need.
It
is said I have given lands to my friends. This is not true. Many people from
Medina went with the conquering armies. Some of them settled in the conquered
lands. There they acquired pieces of land. Afterward, some of them came back to
sell their lands in distant parts of the empire and give them the price therof."
The
Caliph asked his hearers if these facts were true. All said they were!
It
became clear to all present that the charges heaped on the Caliph were false.
However, no one suggested a way to clear him in the eyes of the common man of
these false charges.
The
ring-leaders went back to their provinces. They told people that the Caliph was
not willing to set things light. They waited for the next Haj. As the time for
Haj came near, they decided to send strong parties from Basra, Kufa and Egypt,
seemingly for Haj. From Mecca, these parties were to march on Medina and decided
things with the sword.
The
Caliph had known about this plot of the mischief-mongers long before. But he did
not want to use force against his enemies. He was determined to win them with
love or to perish in the attempt.
In
the month of Shawwal 35 A.H.,
rioters set off from Basra, Kufa and Egypt. They left in small parties. They
numbered about one thousand from each province. They marched on Medina and
encamped some miles away from the city, at three different places. Some of the
Egyptians came to Ali and requested him to accept their leadership. He refused.
Some men from Basra went to Talha with a similar request and got the same
answer. The rioters of Kufa made the same request to Zubair. He too refused to
be a party to their evil plans.
Usman
came to know what the rioters had in mind. He went to Ali and requested him to
use his influence with the mischief-mongers and to sent them away.
"Did
I not tell you so often," said Ali, "not to be led by your kinsmen?
But you listned to Marwan, Muawia, Ibn Amr, Ibn Abi Sarah, and Saeed bin As. How
can I sent back these men now?"
Usman
assured Ali that in the future he would be guided by his advice and would not
listen to his kinsmen.
"You
better say this thing publicly in the mosque," said Ali. "That would
make the change in State policy known to everyone. The rioters then will have no
excuse to create trouble."
Accordingly,
Usman went to the mosque and said in his address: "If I have made any
mistakes, I beg Allah's forgiveness. I request all men of insight among you to
give me the right advice. By Allah, for the cause of truth, I am ready to obey
even a slave. I promise to be led by your wishes. No longer will I listen to
Marwan and his men."
Tears
flowed down the Caliph's cheeks as he finished the address. The hearers also
began to weep.
Ali
now went to the Egyptians. He assured them that all their complaints would be
removed. They seemed to be satisfied and set off on the road to Egypt. Rioters
from Basra and Kufa also marched off to their cities. The storm seemed to have
blown over.
Everybody
in Medina thought that the trouble had ended. Presently, the streets of the city
began to ring with the shouts of the rioters. They trooped aroung the Caliph's
house and ringed in on all sides. Loud shouts of "Revenge! Revenge!"
rented the air of Medina.
Ali
came to the Egyptians and asked why the had come back.
"You
assured us," they said, "that our complaints would be removed, but we
saw a messenger hurry past ut. We stopped him and searched his person. We found
him carrying a letter from the Caliph, ordering the Governor to kill us as soon
as we were back. Here is the letter It bears the Caliph's seal. This is a clear
breach of faith. The Caliph must suffer for it."
"And
what has brought you back?" Ali asked the rioters from Kufa nd Basra.
"We
had to help our Egyptian brothers," they said.
"But
your roads were so apart. How did you come to know of the letter, after having
gone several miles on your roads?"
To
this there was no reply.
"It
is clear," said Ali, "that you have made a plot. You seem to be bent
on putting it through."
"Say
what you will," replied the rioters, "we do not want Usman to be the
Caliph. Allah had made his blood lawful to us. You too, should help our
cause."
"By
Allah," replied Ali, "I will have nothing to do with you."
"Then
why did you write letters to us?" they demanded.
"What
letters?" said Ali in amazement. "By Allah, I never wrote to you
anything."
Ali
saw that things were beyond his control. The rioters seemed bent on dragging him
in as well. Ali saw that his position was becoming difficult. So he left for
Ahjaruzzet, a place some miles from Medina.
The
rioters showed the letter to the Caliph and said, "Did you pass this death
sentence on us?"
"I
swear by Allah," replied Usman, "I know nothing about this
letter."
"Well,
then you are not fit to continue as Calpih," roared the rioters. "If
you wrote the letter, then you are clearly unfit to be the Caliph. But if
someone else wrote it and you know it not, even then you are equally unfit. If
such important orders can be sent out without your knowledge, you should not
continue as head of the State. We demand that you give up the Caliphate."
Usman
rejected the demand. "I will not take off with my own hands," he
delcared, "the robe of honor which Allah made me put on."
Seeing
that Usman would not part with the Caliphate, the rioters laid siege to his
house. For forty days the siege went on. As days went by, the blockade became
more tight. Rioters disallowed even the supply of water to reach the aged
Caliph.
There
were other men inside the house besides the Caliph and his family. Among them
were Hasan, Husain, Muhammad bin Talha, Abdullah bin Zubair, Abu Huraira, Marwan
and others. These men served as the guards of the Caliph. They had some
encounters with the rioters. In these encounters Hasan and Marwan got wounded.
Marwan's wounds were serious. But the rioters avoided a pitched battle. They
knew that because of Hasan and Husain, men of Banu Hashim would join the fight
against them.
It
was during the siege that Usman sent Abdullah bin Abbas to Mecca. He was to lead
the Haj as the Caliph's deputy. The Caliph also sent messengers to provincial
Governors to tell them of the siege.
When
the hardship of the siege grew, Mughira bin Shaaba requested the Caliph to do
something about it. He put three proposals before him. "Come out of the
house," he proposed, "and fight the rioters. You have men with you.
The people of Medina will also fight at your side. Moreover, you are in the
right truth and must win. Or, leave by the back-door and reach Mecca. The
rioters cannot lay hands on you in the holy city. Or, go to Syria. There you
will be safe with Muawia to protect you."
To
this Usman replied, "I do not agree to the first proposal because I do not
want to be the first Caliph to shed the blood of Muslims. I do not accept the
second proposal either. This is because I do not want to become a danger to the
holy city of Mecca. The third proposal is also unnacceptable. At no price will I
give up the neighborhood of the Prophet."
Things
were getting worse every day, but Usman was bent upon fighting evil with love,
even though it cost him his life.
Usman
made use of only one weapon. It was his kind and soft words. He went to the roof
of his house several times and spoke to the rioters. He told them how close he
had been to the Holy Prophet. He reminded them what services he had rendered to
Islam. But his words fell on deaf ears. Nothing could stop the rioters from
mischief.
As
the day of Haj grew near, the rioters' anxiety grew. In a few days hundreds of
men would be back from Haj, they knew. Help from provinces might also arrive.
They had to put through their plot without delay or it would be too late. They
had to act quickly.
Usman's
house was very big. Hasan, Husain, Muhammad bin Talha and Abdullah bin Zubair
stood guard at the main gate. The rioters had no wish to cross swords with these
men. That would draw the kinsmen of these men into the fight. To avoid this, a
part of rioters stealthily jumped over the backwall of the house, and rushed
towards where the aged Caliph was. The guards at the main gate knew nothing
about what was going on inside.
Usman
was sitting with the Holy Book open before him. He was reciting the Qur'an.
Muhammad bin Abu Bakr was leading the party of assassins. He got hold of the
Caliph's beard and pulled it.
"My
dear nephew," said Usman, looking into Muhammad's eyes, "if your
father had been alive, he would not have liked this conduct of yours."
The
young man was cut to the quick and turned back.
Then
another another man hit the Caliph on the head with an axe. The third struck him
with a sword. Naila, the faithful wife of Usman, had her fingers cut off in
trying to shield her husband. Then all the rioters fell upon the aged Caliph.
They inflicted several wounds on his body. One of them, Amr bin Hamq by name,
cut off his head.
The
news of Usman's cruel murder came as a rude shock to everybody. Ali was stunned
when he heard of it. He rushed to Medina.
"Where
were you?" he rebuked his sons, Hasan and Husain, "when the Commander
of the Faithful was murdered?"
Similarly,
he was angry with Abdullah bin Zubair and others who stood guard at the gate.
Usman
was murdered on Friday, the 17th
of Dhul Hijja, 35 A.H.
After
killing the Caliph, the rioters plundered his house. Then they rushed to the
public treasury and looted it. Horror-stricken people looked on the orgy from
behind closed doors. No one dared to call a halt to it. Medina seemed to be at
the mercy of the rioters. For three days, Usman's dead body lay unburied.
Rioters would not allow anyone to bury it. At last some people went to Ali and
spoke to him about the matter. At Ali's request, the rioters allowed the burial.
Late in the evening, seventeen men carried the dead body to the graveyard of
Medina and buried it there.
Such
was the end of Usman, the apostle of love and peace. He wanted to prevent
blood-shed at all costs. He did his utmost to counter trickery and violence with
love and kindness. The attempt failed. Usman had to pay with his own life for
this failure.
Usman
was Caliph for about twelve years. Compared with the caliphate of Omar, this
period looks desolate. The end of the period saw the forces of lawlessness get
the upper hand. But Usman was not much to blame for this.
Omar's
period was a period of conquests. In the wake of conquests came a flood of
riches. Omar himself once wept when he saw a heap of riches lying in the
Prophet's Mosque. Asked why he wept, he had said that riches always brought with
them jealosy and malice and these were the real seeds of disunity. Omar was
perfectly right. His fears came true in the years that followed his death.
The
holy Prophet, too, had foretold a period of great unrest. This period was to
accompany the prosperity of his people. He awoke one night greatly disturbed. He
looked agitated and said, "Glory be to Allah! What great treasures He has
given my people! And what an unrest has come down upon the people in the wake of
the treasures!"
From
the beginning of the unrest, Usman felt sure that the terrible unrest foretold
by the Prophet was at hand. The calamity he thought, was inevitable and must
come down. He could delay it, but could not stop it. Firm and strong action, he
believed, would bring it nearer. So he tried to delay the onset of unrest with
kindness and forgiveness. These were the weapons on which he relied. If they did
not work, the fault was not Usman's. It was the fault of men who could not see
right from wrong.
Usman
also had another prophecy of the Prophet constantly in mind. It said, "When
the sword is once out among my followers, it will be three till the Last
Day."
There
had been two Caliphs before Usman. Their swords fought the enemies of Islam.
They never led an army against the Muslims. Here were Muslims up in arms against
Usman. Should he draw his sword against them? He could easily do this. The
rioters were no more than three thousand in number. Medina had beaten back much
larger armies. If only Usman had drawn his sword, there must have been hundreds
of swords to fight for him. In fact, he could have obtained troops from Syria
well in time to crush any number of rioters. But nothing could induce Usman to
make use of the sword. That would have made him the first Caliph of Islam to
shed the blood of Muslims. The sword once out would always be there. And Usman
was the last person to let loose a curse that would hanve over the Muslims for
ever. It was far easier for him to lay down his life. So he chose the easier
course. He gave his life so that his people might be saved the terrible curse of
the sword.
"Usman
is the most modest of my Companions," once said the Holy Prophet. His
modesty did not leave Usman even after he was the ruler of a big empire. He was
generous and soft-hearted. He was always inclined to overlook people's faults.
High virtues indeed! But as the head of a big State, Usman needed to be
something more. He needed to be strong, firm and prompt. However, Usman's heart
would not allow him to follow the course of firmness. He knew full well where
the path of love was going to lead and gladly paid the price with his life.
Since
Usman, was kind to all people, he was all the more kind to his kinsmen. Some of
them took undue advantage of this thing. They made a bid to gather all power
into their hands. Many of the key-posts in the empire came to be filled by them
of by their friends. Marwan got such a hold on the old Caliph that he sometimes
acted in his name without telling him what he was doing. The Caliph came in for
criticism for the doings of Marwan.
The
courage and faith showed by Usman have few parallels in history. He prized the
neighborhood of the Prophet over all things - even his life. Nothing could drive
him away from Medina, where the Prophet lay in eternal rest. Death started him
in the face but he welcomed the death that would send him to a grave in Medina.
This death was far more precious to Usman than life elsewhere. That explains the
courage with which he met his death.
Despite
internal troubles, Usman's Caliphate did see expansion of the empire. North
Africa was added to it. Risings in different parts were quickly put down.
Byzantium was not allowed to take advantage of the internal troubles of Islam.
At
bottom, Usman's murder was the result of political differences. A party of men
wanted to remove him from the Caliphate. They wanted to see another man as the
Caliph. But the method they used to bring this about was unfortunate. HItherto
Caliphs had been chosen by the general vote of the people. The Companions were
the leaders of public opinion. It were they who by a majority vote decided who
should be the Caliph. The rioters of Egypt, Kufa and Basra did away with this
tradition. They made the sword the deciding factor.
Their
method of violence produced another unfortunate result. Political parties soon
hardened into religious groups. These groups were further subdivided. This dealt
a sever blow to the unity of Muslims. The sects came to stay. That which the
Prophet had foretold did come to pass! The sword was out among his followers and
it had come to stay!
Usman
did a great service to Islam by sending out standard copies of the Qur'an to
provincial capitals. The need arose from a dispute about the way of reciting the
Holy Qur'an. People of Iraq recited it one way and the people of Syria in
another way. The matter came up before the Caliph in 30 A.H.
"We
copy the way of Abu Musa Ashari," said the Iraqis.
"And
we follow the way of Miqdad bin al-Aswad," declared the Syrians.
Usman
put the matter before the Companions. All agreed that the copy prepared in Abu
Bakr's time was the standard one. After Abu Bakr, it had passed into the hands
of Omar, and now it was with his daughter, Hafsa. Usman got this copy. Zahid bin
Thabit, the trusted scribe of the revelation, was asked to prepare seven copies
from it. He was to be helped by three more men, who had the Qur'an by heart.
Zaid
himself had the whole Qur'an by heart. He was also one of the scribes of the
revelation. First, he wrote out the whole book from memory. Then he read it out
to a gathering of Muhajirun and Ansar three times. Then he compared this copy
with the one that was with Hafsa. The two copies were exactly alike. Seven more
copies were then written out and sent to different parts of the country.
A
word here may be said about relations between Usman and Ali. It is true that Ali
disagreed with the aged Caliph on many points. He particularly disliked the man
who acted in his name. All the same, Ali did nothing that might have harmed
Usman. He advised him to get rid of Marwan and other Omayyads. But he also
pleaded with the rioters to give up mischief. He flatly refused to help their
evil cause in any way.
When
Ali came to know that the rioters had cut off the water supply of the Caliph, he
went to them and said, "O people. you are doing an evil thing. Such an act
does not befit Muslims. Even non-Muslims do not do this. Why do you cut off the
food and water supply of Usman? When the Iranians and the Christians take
someone a prisoner, they give him food and water. What harm had Usman done to
you? Why have you beseiged him?? Why are you sent on taking his life?"
These
words had no effect on the rioters. Seeing this, Ali threw his turbon in Usman's
house. He wanted the Caliph to know that he did come to plead with the rioters
but could not succeed.
Usman
knew that Ali was sincere. He never said a word of complaint against Ali. All he
said was that Ali should have been more active in his support. But for this
lukewarmness, Ali had reasons. He believed that all trouble was due to Usman's
advisors. He wanted them to go. The rioters made the same demand. Usman assured
Ali that he would dismiss these men. He said so publicly in the Mosque. This
removed all misunderstanding between the two sons in-law of the holy Prophet.
They were once again as close to each other as ever.
But
nothing could have been more hateful to the rioters. Throughout they had been
using Ali's name to fan the fire of discontent. How could they see him stand by
the side of the Caliph? So they forged the fateful letter. That letter put both
Usman and Ali in awkward positions. It gave the rioters a good excuse to go
ahead with their evil plans. They simply refused to listen to Ali. Ali felt
helpless. In the face of the mysterious letter, he could do nothing. So he left
the city. However, he ordered his sons to stand guard at the gate of the Caliph.
The
most remarkable thing about Usman is his faith. He had heard the Prophet say
that civil war, when once touched off, would know no end. Usman did not want to
be the man to touch it off. He would allow no one to draw sword for his sake. On
the last day of his life, there was a fighting between the rioters and the
guards at the gate. The rioters wanted to force an entry into the house. The
sons of Ali, Zubaid and Talha put up a stiff fight. Usman came to know of it.
"No,"
he exclaimed, "I do not want to spill the blood of Muslims, to save my own
neck."
Saying
this, he sent them all home. If civil war could be stopped at the cost of his
life, Usman was most happy to pay that price. He believed that by laying down
his life he could delay the advent of the cursed sword foretold by the Prophet
(peace be upon him). So he would neither use sword to hit back, nor flee from
the city of the Prophet. He willingly died that Islam might live. For a great
cause and a great conviction, he made the greatest sacrifice a man can possibly
make. Thus he joined the ranks of the great martyrs of all time.
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